Selma will be the center of attention next week, as thousands of people converge on the Queen City to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches.

The city expects there to be a lot of traffic to go along with the visitors.

To make sure everything runs smoothly, the City of Selma Department of Planning and Development is working with the Selma Police Department to develop a plan for traffic and parking.

There will be designated parking lots for cars and buses.

The city is also contemplating the idea of shuttles to carry people to and from the parking lots to the downtown area, which would greatly benefit those who have to park further away.

The Selma Police Department is working to make sure Selma and its guests are safe during the festivities. Chief of Police William Riley said the department will be fully staffed during the events. The department will also have outside help from the state and other agencies.

Parking and traffic could be a big issue if not handled properly, but the city is doing what needs to be done to ensure the jubilee does not turn into one big traffic jam. As visitors enter our city, we should all make sure to follow directions and obey the traffic laws to help things go smoothly.